Coring device



S@pft. 19, M39. R. DE LONG 3 CURING DEVICE Filed Feb. 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l R. DE LONG CURING DEVICE Sept. 19, 193%.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1939 INVENTOR.

W 5 1 AT ORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORING DEVICE Raleigh De Long, Houston, Tex., asslgnor of onefourth to Fohs Oil Company,-Houston, Tex, a corporation of Delaware Application February .2, 1939, Serial No. 254,308

16 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in well tools, and more especially to a novel device for use in obtaining cores from the wall of a well.

The main object of the invention is to furnish a side wall coring device or tool capable of taking a core by a rotating core barrel attached to the lower end of a string of drill pipe or the like.

Another object is to provide a well coring device actuated and controlled by a pressure fluid such as water or a drilling fluid.

A further object is to produce a simple and relatively inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for l which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the second taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are horizontal cross sectional views taken respectively on the lines 33, b 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a similar view taken on the line ll of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the lower end portion of a string of drill pipe or i the like, having a threaded connection with the body 2 of my device. The latter is provided with a horizontal bore 2a, one end of which is closed by a removable threaded plug 2b. .A plunger or valve control member 3 is arranged to reciprocate in the bore and is employed for the purpose of controlling the closing of valves 4 and 5 which in turn control theadmission of drilling fluid or water from the drilling string or the like to passageways 6 and 1 arranged in 5 the body 2.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the passageway 1 extends to ports 8 and 9, and the ports 9 admit the fluid into a chamber 911 where it acts on a cup packer Ill arranged at the top of a piston 3 II that reciprocates in a chamber Ila. The piston is adapted to push downwardly on an arm llb of a shoe l3, .the latter being pivotally connected to a removable member I 311 of the body 2 by means of a hinge pin. I4. When the 5 piston presses upon the arm lib, the shoe l3 acts against one side of the wall of the well and pushes the tool against the opposite wall where the core is taken in a manner hereinafter explained. The shoe is normally maintained in the-position shown in Figs. 1 and '7 by means of 5 a spring l2 arranged in a hollow plunger l2a that reciprocates in a barrel I212.

The fluid pressure medium from passageway 1 passes through the ports 8 and operates a prime mover or fluid pressure motor l5,,and fluid from 10 such motor is exhausted into the well hole through outlet ports 16.

The motor drives the gear ll of a gear pump used for exhausting purposes, and the gear ll drives a gear l8 which imparts movement to a shaft I9 driving a bevel gear I911. The latter meshes with and drives an annular gear slidably splined to a core barrel 2i so as to rotate such barrel while the latter moves axially outwardly in a second bore of the body 2, for the 20 purpose of taking a core.

The gear 20 is removably mounted by means of a threaded screw 2 l a connected with the body, and the core barrel is provided at one end with cutting teeth 2"). The barrel also has passageways 22 extending lengthwise thereof to allow water or drilling fluid to pass through to the mill end from the passageway 6, to wash the cuttings away and cool the teeth so as to prevent damage to the core.

As best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, the gear pump draws liquid from the passageway 6 and forces it through a port 23 of the body of the tool, into the well.

The core barrel controls a port 24 which places the bore 2a in communication with the chamber or bore in which the core barrel operates, and when the core barrel moves outwardly a sufliclent distance, fluid from the passageway 6 can pass through port 24 into one end of the bore 2a to cause the plunger 3 to shift to the left in Fig. l, and thereby allow the valve 4 to drop into closed position so as to cut ofi communication between the drilling string and the passageway 6. The stem 4a of such valve, as well as the stem 5a of the valve 5, have their lower ends arranged to fit in a longitudinal groove 26 positioned at the top of'the plunger 3.

The core barrel 2| also controls a bell crank .lever 21 pivotally mounted at 21a on. a hinge pin arranged within the body 2. The bell crank lever controls a spring pressed valve 28 which governs the escape of well fluid from the left end (Fig. 1) of the bore 2a.

A horizontally disposed passageway 25 places the bore 20 in communication with the well.

A. hole 29 is vertically arranged in the member or plunger 3, and when the plunger is in a certain position, the lower end of the valve stem 511 can enter the hole so as to allow the valve 5 to close.

In operation, the reversing and stopping plunger 3 is set in position, as shown in Fig. 1, before the tool is lowered into the well to take a core, and of course, such plunger holds the valves 4 and 5 open. The tool is lowered into the well to the desired depth, and then water or drilling fluid is pumped into the drilling string ,1 or the like, and it passes through the valves 4 and 5 into the passageways 6 and 1. The liquid that passes through the ports 9 opens the cup packer l0 and pushes the piston ll down, thereby compressing spring l2 and at the same time rocking the set shoe l3 so as to push the entire tool against the coring side of the well, and to hold it until the operation of taking the core is completed. The liquid that passes through the ports 8, operates the prime mover I5 and is discharged through the ports l6 into the well. Of course, the prime mover drives the gear pump I1, l8, and the latter causes turning movement of the core barrel operating pinion 20 which efiects rotation of such barrel.

The liquid that passes through valve 4 into the passageway 6 supplies the necessary volume, and with suflicient pressure to-move the core barrel outward, and at the same time supply the exhaust gear pump l1, l8 which exhausts through the port 23 into the well.

When the core barrel 2| travels outwardly a sufiicient distance to uncover the port 24, drilling fluid passes from the passageway 6 through said port and into the right end of the bore 2a to move the plunger 3 backwardly until it closes the exhaust port 25, and as this traps the liquid in the left end of the bore 20 the plunger stops. However, the distance travelled by the plunger is sufiicient to allow the valve stem 4a to drop out of the groove 26 and ofi the end of the plunger, which obviously closes the valve 4 and stops the drilling fluid from entering the passageway 6. The drilling fluid is then partially exhausted from said passageway by the gear pump IT, l8, and discharged into the well through the port 23. Then the pressure of the liquid in the well pushes the core barrel 2! with the core back into the body 2 and against the lever 21, which lifts the valve 28, allowing the entrapped fluid behind the piston to pass into the passageway G, and allow the liquid in the well, due to hydrostatic pressure,

to pass through the port 24, and push the plunger 3 further back until the stem of the valve 5 drops into the hole 29 to cause closing of the valve 5. The closing of such valve prevents liquid from leaving the drill string or the like, and the pressure will then rise in such string until the fluid pumps at the surface stop, indicating that the operation of the coring is complete.

It will be evident that the parts of the tool are made of any suitable materials to withstand conditions encountered in a well.

I wish it distinctly understood that the coring device described and illustrated herein is in the form which I desire to construct it, and that changes and variations may be made as may be convenient or desirable, without departing from the salient features of the invention, and I therefore intend the following claims to cover such modifications as naturally fall within the scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coring device comprising a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, a fluid pressure motor arranged in a fixed position in the body, and means actuated by the motor for rotating said barrel as it is projected from the bore.

2. A coring device comprising a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, fluid pressure operated means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, a fluid pressure motor arranged in a fixed position in the body, and means actuated by the motor for rotating said barrel as it is projected from the bore.

3. In a device of the character described, a body, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said body, means for moving the barrel axially, a fluid pressure motor arranged in a fixed position in the body, and means actuated by the motor for rotating said barrel as it is projected from the bore.

4. A coring device comprising a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, a'fluid pressure motor arranged in a fixed position in the body, means actuated by the motor for rotating said barrel as it is projected from the bore, apassageway for leading a pressure fluid to the motor, and a valve for controlling said passageway, said valve being controlled by said core barrel.

5. A coring device comprising a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, gearing operatively connected with the barrel for rotating the same, and fluid pressure operated means in the body for actuating said gearing.

6. In a device of the character described, a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel mounted in the bore for rotation and axial movement, means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, a fluid pressure operated motor arranged in the body and operatively connected with the core barrel for rotating the latter, a passageway for .leading a pressure fluid to the motor, a valve controlling said passageway, a fluid pressure operated member controlling said valve, and means controlled by said barrel for controlling the last mentioned member.

7. In a device of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means for moving the barrel axially to cause it to project from the bore, a fluid pressure operated motor in the body operatively connected with the barrel for rotating the latter, a passageway for leading a pressure fluid to the motor, a valve controlling said passageway, a plunger controlling the valve, and fluid pressure operated means controlled by the barrel for moving the plunger into a position to permit closing of the valve.

8. In a device -of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means for moving the barrel axially, a fluid pressure operated motor operatively connected with the barrel for rotating the latter, a passageway for leading a pressure fluid to the motor, a valve controlling said passageway, said valve having a depending stem, a reciprocating plunger engaging said stem and normally holding the valve in open position, and fluid pressure operated means controlled by the barrel for moving the plunger in one direction to cause the valve to close.

9. In a device of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means in the body for rotating the core barrel, a passageway communicating with the inner end of the bore to conduct a pressure fluid into the bore and cause axial movement of the barrel, a valve controlling the admission of pressure fluid to said passageway, a chamber in the body, a port placing said chamber in communication with the atmosphere, a member movable in the chamber and controlling said valve, a second valve controlling said port, and means actuated by the barrel for opening the second valve to allow said member to move to a position to close the first mentioned port and to also close the first mentioned valve.

10. In a device of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, means in the body for rotating the core barrel, a passageway communicating with the inner end of the bore to conduct a pressure fluid into the bore and cause axial movement of the barrel, a valve controlling the admission of pressure fluid to said passageway, a chamber in the body, a port placing said chamber in communication with a well, a member movable in the chamber and controlling said valve, a second valve controlling said port, means actuated by the barrel for opening the second valve to allow said member to move to a position to close the first mentioned port and to also close the first mentioned valve, and means for pumping pressure fluid from said passageway to the exterior of the tool.

11. In a device of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, fluid pressure operated means for rotating the barrel and moving the same axially, said means including fluid conducting passageways, and means for controlling the I means arranged at the opposite side of said body for forcing the body into engagement with the portion of the wall of a well confronting the open end of the bore.

13. In a tool of the character described, a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel arranged to rotate and move axially in said bore, means for rotating and axially moving said core barrel and fluid pressure operated means arranged at the opposite side of said body for forcing the body into engagement with the portion of the wall of a well confronting the open end of the bore, the last mentioned means comprising a shoe pivotally connected to the body, and a piston for actuating the shoe.

14. A cor-ing device comprising a body having a bore opening through a side thereof, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in said bore, a chamber arranged in the body, a first passageway controlled by the core barrel and placing one end of the chamber in communication with the bore, a second passageway placing the opposite end of the chamber in communication with the bore, a port placing the last mentioned end portion of the chamber in communication with a well, a valve normally closing the second passageway and operatively connected to the core barrel for opening the valve when the barrel is moved to retracted position, a third passageway for leading a fluid pressure to the inner end of said bore, a second valve controlling the third passageway, a fluid pressure motor arranged in the body, means operatively connecting said motor to the barrel for rotating the latter, a fourth passageway for leading a pressure fluid to the motor, a third valve controlling the fourth passageway, and a reciprocating plunger arranged in said chamber and controlling said port and said second and third valves.

15. A coring device comprising a body having a bore, a core barrel rotatably and axially movable in the bore, a prime mover in the body, a pump driven bythe prime mover, a discharge passageway leading from the pump to the exterior of the body, an intake passageway for the pump communicating with the inner end of said bore, a valve controlling the intake passageway, and means controlled by the core barrel for controlling said valve.

16. A tool of the character described comprising a body having a bore opening through one side thereof, a core barrel arranged to rotate and move axially in said bore, fluid pressure operated means arranged at the opposite side of said body for forcing the body into engagement with a portion of a well confronting the open end of the bore, a first passageway for leading a pressure fluid to said means, fluid pressure operated means for rotating the barrel and moving the same axially and including a second passageway through which pressure fluid travels to the last mentioned means, valves for controlling the passage of fluid through said passageways, and means controlled by the barrel for controlling the closing of said valves.

RALEIGH DE LONG. 

